1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates, in general, to motor vehicle body support structures and, more specifically, to motor vehicle rocker panel support structures.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a modern automobile vehicle, the lower side of the passenger compartment is defined by a member, commonly known as a "rocker panel", which extends longitudinally below the side door. The rocker panel serves to reinforce the body compartment floor of the vehicle. For strength purposes, the rocker panel is formed with a hollow, tubular cross-section, either constructed in a single piece tubular section or built up on inner and outer panels which are joined together to form the desired tubular beam.
The shape of the beam and thickness of the individual panels forming the rocker panels are selected to provide the requisite supporting strength for the vehicle. In today's "unibody" type of vehicle construction, the rocker panels cooperate with the body side walls, compartment floor and roof to form an integral structure which provides support integrity for the body compartment of the vehicle. In a "unibody" type of vehicle initially designed to carry a convertible-type folding roof or other type of removable roof portions, the loss of supporting strength due to the lack of a rigid roof panel is compensated for by increasing the thickness of the rocker panel walls or altering and enlarging the beam cross section.
Such modifications to the rocker panels are not possible where an existing hard-top vehicle is modified to accept a convertible-type folding roof or removable portion(s) of a sedan type roof. In such a vehicle modification, additional support strength is achieved by adding stiffening members interiorly to the rocker panel to increase the beam cross section or to insert tubular members longitudinally with the hollow rocker panel. It has been common in previous convertible-top or removable roof panel vehicle modifications to add such additional strengthening members interiorly to the rocker panels so as not to alter the exterior vehicle body lines. However, such modifications to the rocker panels are costly and, due to the smaller vehicles which are being constructed today, insufficient space is available to position the strengthening members interiorly on the rocker panels of the vehicle.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide a support structure for a vehicle which provides increased support strength for the vehicle. It would also be desirable to provide a support structure for a vehicle which provides sufficient structural strength such that a convertible-type folding roof or removable panel(s) may be installed on the vehicle. It would also be desirable to provide a support structure for a vehicle which is adapted to be installed on an existing vehicle. Finally, it would be desirable to provide a support structure for a vehicle which provides a pleasing exterior appearance when installed on the vehicle.